Into Vintage

Junk Jenga

2012-02-17T20:43:00.000-08:00

You may recall earlier this year I mentioned putting my name on the very long waiting list for a dealer space in Monticello Antique Marketplace in Portland, OR.

THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AND DOWN THE STEPS

At that time I was told the wait could be a year.

Gah.

A year!

TURN RIGHT

The garage is filled to the brim with junk right this minute. And yard sale season is just around the corner…

Well, what do you know?!

Turns out the universe heard my whining and had just about enough of it.

TA-DA! MY FUTURE SPACE (it’s still occupied by its current tenant)

My name came up on the waiting list much faster than I could have hoped and now I’m thrilled to be setting up my vendor space on March 1st.

It’s small. Your basic starter home of mall spaces.

But all 3 x 5 feet (yes, it’s the size of a throw rug) are mine!

click photo to see some *inspiring* MONTICELLO DEALERS

And the location within the store is terrific.

I plan to fill it all the way up (literally) with a tower of vintage Junk Jenga.

You’ll see…

Looks like I made it.

2012-01-31T14:50:00.000-08:00

Whoops. Notice anything a little off with this photo?

I’ve been a bit of a mad scientist recently, trying to modify inexpensive, store-bought house paint to make it easier to distress after it’s been applied to wood furniture.

Sounds like a giant step backward, doesn’t it, anxiously waiting for applied paint to dry so I can un-apply it?

I try not to think about it.

I followed recipes found here and here and liked the results.

I bought a $4 quart of paint* at my favorite painting supply store, my local Rebuilding Center, and mixed two parts of paint with one part of (sifted! Thank you, Maria) Plaster of Paris and a tiny bit of water and voila!

Genuine DIY distress-able paint.

Never one to experiment on a test piece of wood, I dove right in on this desk.

Before painting, I lightly sanded the wood where it still had some its original varnish in case the paint might not adhere to those areas.

I didn’t use primer. Yay!

The paint dried quickly and I called in my alter-ego, Sandy, to do her thing.

I love the wood top and it was in very good condition compared to the rest of this desk which was in pieces when I found it, so I simply sanded & stained it and then finished it with paste furniture wax.

I heart this 50¢ drawer pull

I love the look of waxed furniture. I do not love the task of waxing furniture.

Good thing it’s the final step in the process.

Arms so tired can’t type sentence.

*Benjamin Moore’s Beach Glass

More great painted furniture ideas here.

Shut-In

2012-01-24T21:02:00.000-08:00

Thanks to days of do-not-drive winter weather that kept me trapped indoors much like a pajama-clad shut-in, my 2012 furniture-painting efforts are off to a robust start.

This flakey Before is now an After.

There are two of these little nightstands and while not exactly heirloom pieces, I liked their curved legs and distressed hardware.

I did not like the gold plastic (plastic!) scrolly accents so I studied up on home dentistry and extracted them with a pair of pliers.

The nightstands go onto the stack of things I’ll be selling at my first vintage event of the year, happening in a week or so.

If I can get out of my driveway by then.

Just before the snow and ice storm arrived last week, I decided I’d better hit my super-secret thrift store circuit before the weather put me on lockdown and I’m glad I did.

Please disregard the following in this photo: vintage Christmas tablecloths not put away yet, vertical blinds (ew), dangling electronic doodads, nightstand on sideboard (?!), shadeless & bulbless lamps, bath towel on floor ... I could go on...

Furniture is now lined up and awaiting makeovers.

This is why dinner is sometimes eaten at the coffee table.

***

Who am I kidding? Dinner is always eaten at the coffee table.

Unless there are guests.

It’s not total anarchy, yet.

The Vintage Crafter Strikes Again.

2012-01-15T11:12:00.000-08:00

Despite what’s happening outside today, I see signs of Spring inside.

The thimble flowers are blooming.

And I’m surrounded by my favorite kind of roses, the Barkcloth Rose.

Just wanted to share these sweet gifts from my talented friend, The Vintage Crafter Magpie Ethel.

Hope you’re having a cozy & creative weekend.

Let’s do this.

2012-01-05T13:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

My 2012 vintage to-do list has finally been notarized, stamped & sealed. In no particular order and subject to change without prior written consent, I present to you:

Things I Hope To Do More of In 2012 and Perhaps Some of Them I Can Also Improve Upon While I’m At It Including My Constant Use of Run-on Sentences and Sketchy Grammar

1. Sew.

I wasn’t even aware it was happening but after sewing non-stop for years, I slowed and then ground to a halt last year for no reason other than I needed a little break.

But now I have pages of sketches, a fresh perspective and lots of vintage fabric bookmarked on etsy.

( My fabric de-stash plan is so 2011. )

2. Junk-related travel.

I love a road trip and I’m that person who stops at every odd roadside attraction to view the life-size dinosaur made of cheese or the world’s largest talking knife & fork.

Add a little junking to it and it's a great day.

This is the 'before'

3. Paint more furniture.

I like to paint things. Maybe it's the paint fumes talking.

I’m going to try making my own chalk paint as well. I’ll report back.

4. Sell at vintage events.

Luckily, I had nothing but positive experiences as a vendor last year so this year I’m ready for more.

Not to mention The Garage Where Cars Can’t Park is still filled with everything but cars.

a vendor at Monticello Antique Mall

5. Sell in an antique mall again.

And not in the unofficial one currently going on in my garage where I’m my only customer. A real antique mall.

I have my name on the very long waiting list for a particular antique mall in Portland, OR. The wait could be a year!

Er, Plan B…?

6. Learn some new tricks.

Upholstery, maybe.

I already have an electric staple gun and a very sad chair.

************

Do you have big plans brewing? I hope 2012 holds new adventures for all of us and I’m looking forward to seeing what happens!

Pin to Vintage

2011-12-20T11:54:00.000-08:00

Maybe by now you’ve had a chance to check out Pinterest, the website where you can ‘pin’ photos from the internet to your personal ‘pinboards’.

Occasionally you might even come across photos from your very own blog!

WARNING: I have found Pinterest to be extremely addictive and now know it should not be viewed unless one is prepared to abandon all previously scheduled activities and perhaps be willing to skip a meal or two while under its spell.

If you want to see if a photo has been pinned from your blog, replace the xxxxxx with your blog's name: http://pinterest.com/source/xxxxxx.blogspot.com/

For instance, to see what’s been pinned from Into Vintage, I would use this: http://pinterest.com/source/sointovintage.blogspot.com/

One photo from this blog that’s been pinned is this vintage ornament tree I made last year.

And yesterday another vintage-loving blogger, Charlene, emailed me to share her version of the ornament tree:

I love it! And she was so clever to do this on a real door – why didn’t I think of that?

See all of her photos on her blog, Willow & Paisley.

Now I’m wondering…are there more of these vintage ornament trees out there?

In other news, the exciting Third Annual Academy of Vintage Christmas Ornament Arts and Sciences Award Ceremony (um, does that name get longer every year?) is underway over at Oodles and oodles.

This year’s winners have been announced including the highly anticipated “Best Christmas Ornament Reminiscent of a Joni Mitchell Song.”

You’ll see.

PS You can click HERE to see what I’ve ‘pinned’ onto Pinterest.

I’m going to stop saying ‘pin’ and just say pin now. Pin.

A vintage tablecloth winner and even more giveaways I think you’ll love

2011-12-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who entered the vintage Christmas tablecloth giveaway!

Lucky comment number 57 was randomly selected and congrats go to artteachergirl!

*******************

While traveling the internet, I came across several other giveaways you might want to check out. Click the caption below each photo to go to the giveaway.

Fiona & Twig is giving away Vintage Rescue Squad’s 2012 Junking Calendar

How about a $50 gift certificate to Post Road Vintage?

I think this photo says it all. Made by GeorgiaPeachez.

Maybe some vintage holiday décor for your person?

Or a little holiday R & R (reading & relaxing) over at Oodles & Oodles?

... and Le Creuset for the holiday meal!

Good luck!

A Vintage Christmas Tablecloth Giveaway

2011-12-10T15:38:00.000-08:00

Subtitle: From My Drawers to Yours.

Did you see this coming?

Somehow I’ve ended up with more vintage Christmas tablecloths than I need or can possibly use so perhaps you’d be willing to give a good home to this colorful, old friend?

It measures about 48 x 60” and looks lovely layered over a larger, solid-colored tablecloth or maybe it’s just the right size for you as it is.

I would show it to you on my dining room table but have you seen it lately?

Neither have I. It’s buried under shopping bags, tissue paper, jigsaw puzzles and serving pieces that were last used on Thanksgiving day.

I know. Thanksgiving.

If you’d like to enter to win, just leave a comment.

I’ll draw a name on Tuesday, December 13. This is open to anyone, anywhere in the whole wide world.

And while we’re waiting for Tuesday to roll around, I’m going to introduce this tablecloth to my iron!

Happy Holidays.

xo! -amy

In my drawers

2011-12-07T20:54:00.000-08:00

There’s a new addition to the vintage Christmas tablecloth drawer and I’m especially happy about it because:

It’s one I don’t have and it’s one I’ve never seen before and (this is always the deciding factor for me) it was a really great price.

I have achieved vintage Christmas tablecloth nirvana.

As long as we’re in the Christmas tablecloth drawer, let’s look around, shall we?

My all-time favorite.

Somehow I’ve ended up with four (!?) of these which might mean there’s been a breakdown in my Vintage Tablecloth Inventory System. Or I’m hoarding. Or both.

I really don’t know exactly what went wrong here.

My second all-time favorite.

Which I guess explains why I have only one.

Instead of four. (!?)

Do you iron before you store yours?

Sometimes I do. Sometimes I don’t.

I’m random like that.

None of these fit my table but I like to layer them over a big, plain white tablecloth.

That way no one gets left out.

Or in. The drawer, I mean.

Christmas comes but once a year.

Vintage Christmas with a Pinch of Kitsch and Glitter

2011-12-04T21:09:00.000-08:00

Ever the multi-tasker, I was fortunate to time a recent errand in Portland, OR with the opening day of Monticello Antique Mall’s Vintage Christmas Show.

Their Christmas show is always an amazing visual experience.

And I just enjoy spending time with others who are vintage-Christmas afflicted.

Except when they’re heading to the cash register carrying something I wish I had found before they did.

To the lady holding the vintage wood sap bucket with that beautifully-perfect aqua patina:

I’m mostly sorry I stalked you. I only did it to make sure you were really serious about buying it.

You were.

I moved on.

Lots of holiday inspiration, everywhere.

You can see the rest of the photos here.

By the way, did you see where this fellow turned up?

Warning. This one's a rambler.

2011-11-29T22:56:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving sure shot by like a rocket.

I only know it actually happened because I ran the dishwasher four times in 24 hours.

(I am definitely giving thanks for dishwashers.)

That and because it was the one and only day in recent history my dining room table was heaped with food and the good china rather than the Mt. Vintage Christmas of things going to /coming back from the Plucky Maidens Junkfest where I was vendor.

Despite the deafening silence here, I have most definitely not packed up and moved off the internet.

My desk looks like someone has been pulling a vintage all-nighter.

In the days since Thanksgiving, I’ve been firmly glued to my chair in front of the computer, filling my etsy shop with vintage Christmas.

I only leave the house to go out and look for more.

What can I say? Tis the season.

After setting up my vendor space the night before the Plucky Maidens show, I went back to my hotel room and assembled a 6-1/2’ vintage aluminum Christmas tree and the next morning I carried it through the hotel lobby and across the property to the building where I was selling.

Can’t stop me.

It didn’t sell. I am now really good at dismantling it in seconds flat.

On the bright side, I listed it online yesterday and less than 24 hours later, it’s now winging its way to its forever home in Peoria.

All's well that ends well.

Beyond beadazzled

2011-11-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

A recent visit to a local thrift store revealed a disturbing new process regarding their Christmas inventory…

I think they’re selling it by the pound.

As far as I can guess, somewhere behind the swinging doors of the mysterious ‘Employees Only’ area is a giant, roiling pit, filled with Christmas things.

From this pit, the employees pack shovels-ful of Christmas into very large, clear plastic blanket bags.

If you have x-ray vision, it’s possible to see one of everything ever remotely related to Christmas, across many decades of décor, crammed into these bags which are then dumped onto the sales floor and left to fend for themselves.

And there I am, pawing my way through one of these bags, which is clearly marked "Do Not Open, except for you, Amy," and what do I find buried in the midst of the tangled tinsel, plastic holly and strings of burned out lights?

This.

And this.

Somehow both ornaments remained completely intact despite having been (possibly) shoveled from a pit into a bag. Could this be a Christmas miracle? I think so.

But what really caught me by surprise in that bag were these.

I can’t begin to imagine the number of hours and finger pricks it took to create these pins + beads + sequins ornaments and to me, they are shiny, tacky, gaudy, beautiful, flashy, flawless handmade treasures.

That’s right. I’ve gone to a place I never thought I’d go: The world of sequins.

Please send help.

I swear, it followed me home

2011-11-06T12:39:00.000-08:00

Can I keep it?

It gets along great with my Dollar Store plates.

And it's very quiet.

This was the best (and scariest) part.

(After unpacking, I was very happy to discover only 2 pieces were chipped and from the appearance of the chips, they happened before these pieces were tossed together to become a ‘boxed set.’)

Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend!

Because vintage Christmas ornament wreaths are better left to the Glue Whisperers

2011-11-01T19:26:00.000-07:00

Some of us are born with a hot glue gun in our hand while others of us just end up with a hot glue gun glued to our hand.

Not to mention those hot glue globs and glue strings all over everything.

For me, it starts and ends with gluing two ornaments together.

With glue from a tube.

Several posts ago, you may recall being introduced to these weeble-lookalikes.

They’re slowly morphing into something more recognizable (I hope).

Last year’s model is wearing his homemade hat and humble paper punch buttons.

This year's version features luxurious upgrades including mother-of-pearl buttons and fancy store-bought top hats.

No hot glue required.

Hope you’re staying warm & cozy.

P.S. I bought the top hats from etsy seller Clear Brook Hollow but I think there are several etsy sellers who carry them. The hats measure 28 mm x 17 mm.

Lots of lots

2011-10-26T15:29:00.000-07:00

This summer of yard sale hoarding has produced some interesting results.

Dozens of them.

Setting things aside here and there for months adds up eventually.

My Santa cups runneth over.

In an effort to address this accumulation, I've signed up to sell at one more vintage event this year.

It was that or get a storage unit.

Or move away.

Now I’m already having a little separation anxiety about the milk glass.

And in a fit of purging after attending an especially scary & jam-packed estate sale, I’ve decided to sort through my personal vintage Christmas stash to see what I can live without.

I mean if I can live without.

What’s more fun than a vintage box of teeth?

2011-10-12T21:05:00.000-07:00

Two vintage boxes of teeth?

Despite their freakishly lifelike appearance, they’re plastic.

I know. A little too real.

I don’t know what gets into me this time of year.

Probably something to do with the weather.

I promise, next time we meet we’ll discuss something much more down to earth like vintage Christmas space aliens.

Proving once again there isn’t much I won’t buy when it only costs a dollar

2011-10-01T17:09:00.000-07:00

Doesn’t she look like someone just loved her to death?

Literally.

It appears she received some emergency medical treatment along the way.

And a makeover.

From Morticia Addams.

A very nice gal at the rummage sale where I purchased this poor soul asked me “What will you do

with the antique dolly?”

Cue up spooky music.

I think Dolly will be hard at work on Halloween.

The Putz village idiot

2011-09-21T15:39:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip, I spent some time at an antique mall where I attempted to purge the display case of a vintage Christmas collector who was downsizing.

There was entirely too much to choose from so I kept my looting limited to vintage glass bead garlands and little vintage cardboard (Putz or not) buildings, mainly because I had to ship it all back to Oregon.

Honestly, I don’t know a Putz house from a housecoat but this seller had so many of these little buildings so inexpensively priced that I bought them strictly for their curb appeal despite the missing church spires, sub-standard glitter application or other aesthetic disfigurements.

(Proving ignorance can be bliss.)

In the corner of the display case was a handwritten note taped to the wall suggesting a visit to this seller’s vintage Christmas website. (If you head over there, I would suggest turning down the volume on your computer and perhaps investigating anti-seizure medication beforehand as there is a lot going on.)

photo courtesy of Papa Ted's Place

One of my favorite pages on this website is the one where this (very schooled) collector has compiled photos and prices paid on eBay for vintage Japanese-made miniature houses along with his colorful commentary regarding whether the buyer made a wise decision or not.

photo courtesy of Papa Ted's Place

I also love the page with glimpses of these vintage Butler Brothers Christmas catalogs and am now pining for a catalog of my very own.

Santa, are you reading this?

Vintage Christmas by the square foot

2011-09-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

You may recall that last year’s hunt for vintage Christmas turned up little finds like these,

this,

and these.

And silly me, I assumed this year’s finds might be more of the same.

Imagine my surprise when 'they' turned out to be this.

He's six feet tall and made from printed paper applied to plywood pieces -- I was told he once was a holiday street decoration in Los Angeles. Found at a local yard sale.

Hope you're having a wonderful, long weekend!

Two for two

2011-08-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

In addition to my addiction to vintage Christmas and vintage dishes (and vintage fabric and vintage tablecloths…), I am now officially addicted to selling at vintage events.

It is So! Much! Fun!

This photo courtesy of Plucky Maidens

At least after all the hauling, unloading, sweating and setting up is done and even that’s pretty fun.

As I type this, I realize it’s possible I have a twisted vision of a good time.

Last week was my second vintage event as a vendor, this time at Plucky Maidens Junk Fest in Portland, OR and it was as terrific as my first experience but in its own unique ways.

Yet another fabulous venue, throngs and throngs of shoppers (on a Thursday afternoon, no less) and even a celebrity brush with fame!

Here are some of the things I sold at this event:

Furniture of all sorts – a gray & white painted dresser, some Mid Century Modern side tables (wish I had a hundred of those), a vintage wood settee frame with rusty coils, vintage typewriter tables and an Adirondack chair.

Milk glass vases of all shapes & sizes.

Little bottles. These were voted ‘Most Popular’ by the other vintage items in my booth.

Vintage cameras. Far and away the winners of ‘Most Likely to be Picked Up, Examined & Used to Take a Pretend Photo.’

Vintage yearbooks – I sold several from the early 1960’s. I still wonder what the man in a suit & tie who bought them will use them for?

This photo courtesy of Plucky Maidens

Hand-painted vintage signs. I live in the Columbia River Gorge (aka The Gorge) and so do these buyers.

Vintage chalkware fruit and vegetables.

Vintage ice cube trays. As if on cue, every person who touched these said, “I grew up with these!” (So did I. Many memories of my fingers getting stuck to them…)

Laurie, Emily and yours truly. Thanks to Laurie for this photo!

Oh, and the brush with fame? Emily Henderson of Secrets From a Stylist and last year’s winner of one of my must-watch TV shows, HGTV’s Design Star, stopped by after I posted a comment on her blog letting her know about Plucky Maidens.

She and Laurie/Ethel and I were just hanging out. J

Such a fun day!

A public service announcement

2011-08-13T17:58:00.000-07:00

We (and by 'we', I mean 'I') interrupt this vintage Christmas post with an important announcement.

It has been reported there is another severe outbreak of vintage dish-itis.

Please, do not panic.

While there is no known cure for this condition, the prognosis can remain favorable by following these simple instructions:

1. Locate any vintage dishes you have that resemble the one pictured here.

2. Carefully pack, insure and ship them to me immediately.

I will place all dishes in quarantine for as long as necessary.

Remember, I am a professional so do not try this in your own home.

The quarantine process may take months, if not years, so please feel confident that these dishes will be well cared for.

And now we return to our regularly scheduled vintage Christmas programming.

Notes and broad generalizations from a tired but happy first-time vintage vendor

2011-08-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

The entire contents of a one-car garage fits perfectly into a 15 passenger van (minus the passenger seats) which, it turns out, is also excellent for a quick cat nap.

That's my space on the left with the white canopy

Me again

Everything is easier when done in sunny weather.

Despite my tossing and turning about it the night before, lots & lots of things sold. (whew)

Keeping the price tag for every item that’s sold with the correct ‘sold for’ price written on it prevents a mental meltdown later.

Junque Soiree

Every single vendor I met was nice, helpful & encouraging.

Every single vendor has a slightly different pricing strategy.

My Shabby Passion

Anything with a horizontal surface being used for display will sell first.

Into Vintage

Things will end up on the ground.

Crowds of people will turn out to shop vintage on a Friday night in the country.

Hard work can be fun.

{ click to enlarge }

Four gold stars!! to A Vintage Gathering for such a wonderful vintage event this past weekend – it exceeded my expectations in every way!

Can’t wait for next time! And there is a next time …

Scenes from a garage. (And a driveway. And a living room.)

2011-07-27T12:39:00.000-07:00

In preparation for this weekend as a seller at my first vintage event, A Vintage Gathering, vintage stuff has now officially spread throughout almost every room, the garage and onto the driveway.

Watch your step.

The good news is I’m feeling pretty organized which can only mean one of two things:

I’m forgetting something really important or I’m actually organized.

Mr. Into Vintage and I did a practice set-up of the giant canopy tent in order to get any necessary cursing out of the way.

Everything has a price tag on it.

Except for these white baskets because I don’t know what to ask for them. Do you?

Things have been cleaned, painted, pressed and packed.

And now just a few final details to take care of until the big day.

{ a little sneak peek -- click to enlarge }

I'd love to meet you if you plan to shop at A Vintage Gathering! (or if you'll be shopping at Barn House be sure to check out A Vintage Gathering as well -- these two vintage events are only 4 miles apart).

Here’s how you can recognize me this Saturday in case my previously posted blurry self-portrait is a little too vague. (I'll be there for Friday evening shopping as well wearing who-knows-what)

Have a wonderful weekend! J

A Vintage Gathering

Friday, July 29 5 - 9 pm

Saturday, July 30 8 am - 4 pm

Free Admission

17414 NE 199th Street

Battle Ground, WA 98604

Magic goop and wacky cake

2011-07-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

If I’ve learned one thing from all of you, it’s that when it comes to collecting, there’s something for everyone.

Or someone for every thing.

And with that philosophy in mind, occasionally some of those things come home with me from yard sales.

Things not all that long ago I might have passed by.

Exhibit A. This jumbled box of hundreds of recipes.

At first I thought I would just send them off to my etsy shop but as I started to photograph them for the shop listing, I got caught up in the story they told.

A story involving decades of foods that were once fashionable in the kitchen or at least were in style according to the chef who was in charge of this collection.

What event was this little menu for? I don’t know what Under-the-Sea-Salad is but anyone who serves two kinds of bread AND cake and ice cream is okay with me.

A scribbled recipe for Magic Modeling Goop on the envelope for a sympathy card – could this be the original Play-Doh formula?

And my favorite of them all, the double secret and highly coveted ingredient list for Wacky Cake. :-)

All dressered up

2011-07-17T10:49:00.000-07:00

Things are getting pretty tight in the Garage Where Cars Can’t Park.

And yet, I still managed to squeeze in a dresser.

It wasn’t on my yard sale shopping list but I've always believed that when life gives you dressers, you make space in the garage.

This poor thing had a terminal case of the flakes.

Not the sought-after, time-worn, chippy paint kind of flakes but more along the lines of varnish dandruff.

One $4 can of steely-slate-gray 'oops' paint later and things are looking up for this old dresser.

That’s right, Sandy’s back with a vengeance. J

And there's even more transformed furniture here.

This is how I roll with it

2011-07-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

I think I may have accidentally brought home a collection.

If rolls of vintage wallpaper can qualify as a collection, that is.

There were more than three of them.

That should meet or exceed the criteria of the Official Collection Qualification Committee. (I’m still filling out the paperwork for this).

The wallpaper rolls were just the beginning of the treasures found at an amazing yard sale this weekend.

But I would have been happy with just these.

More inspiring yard sale finds here.

With the hope something might sell

2011-07-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

My first vintage event as a vendor is less than a month away.

Yesterday involved scrubbing some suspicious goo off of a dresser (Attention: People who sell things at yard sales -- what are you doing to your furniture?!) so today I rewarded myself by making a batch of price tags.

Much more fun than scrubbing goo.

Back in the days when I sold full-time at several antique malls, I made my price tags on my printer using little images of vintage goods.

This is when it pays to never throw anything away.

The 2011 version of those tags. A little less black than the previous ones.

I wanted to find a way to attach the tags that would leave the least amount of mess behind when the tags were removed.

And I wanted to break the chains of the grease pencil pricing cycle.

This tape seems to be the answer.

I won a giveaway on Amy Cartwright’s blog for a cutetape gift certificate and went on a little shopping spree.

The tapes have fun motifs with just the right amount of stickiness so I don’t think a bunch of goo will be left behind when removed.

This is fabric tape – I don’t know what I’ll use it for yet but I just liked it.

I hope I’m not counting my MacGillivray’s Warblers before they’re hatched by making these 'SOLD' tags.

Making the world a better place one glob of goo at a time. J

Sometimes they call me Sandy

2011-06-30T19:24:00.000-07:00

Do you recall this little project, waiting patiently (or nervously) in the Garage Where Cars Can’t Park?

It's number finally came up on the to-do list. No big deal – this was going to be a one-color (white) paint job and nothing more.

But after a coat of primer, I thought it might be ‘fun’ to add a second color to give it a little interest.

And I swore on a stack of Country Living magazines that under no circumstances was I going to get anywhere near a piece of sandpaper.

Ahem.

After gently trying to sand off a tiny blob of paint, I lost all control.

There’s just something about distressing that’s so … therapeutic.

Oh, the irony.

After that, what’s the harm in a little vintage wallpaper?

It's a slippery slope.

Where I grant one of you a wish come true

2011-06-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

You may recognize this photo from my last post where I was definitely not discussing the regrettable lack of judgment that locked me in its grip one evening years ago, long enough for me to make a very unfortunate decision regarding paint color for this bookcase and then, sadly, to act on it.

As happens from time to time, an alert reader will be so kind as to look right past the embarrassing situation on display only to inquire about that thing in the corner of the frame of the photo.

In this case, that reader was Betsy of My Salvaged Treasures who politely asked not once but twice, “What the heck is the thing with the drawers?!”

Or something like that. J

This one’s for you, Betsy.

click to enlarge

That thing is another rusty metal piece I found half a block away at a neighbor’s yard sale. Junky man-cave-workshop-assorted-bolts storage one minute ... glamorous vintage industrial the next!

Many of the drawers were filled with these tiny light bulbs -- hundreds of them. And I did what I always do when I don’t know what to do with something. I put them in my etsy shop.

Tomorrow morning I head out to this week’s yard sales, hoping for more of the same luck I had last week, some of which included this:

It feels like a minor miracle that a souvenir map vintage tablecloth can still be found for a quarter

And this:

Fingers are crossed in hopes of finding a little vintage Christmas this weekend.

Hope you find some great junk too.

Before, during and after. With paint.

2011-06-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

As hard as I tried not to, I ended up with a few projects on my to-do list for the upcoming vintage sale on July 30th, A Vintage Gathering, where I’ll be a NEWBIE vendor.

What can I say? I like to paint things.

And I’d like to point out that I have recently completed 3.5 items on my crafty to-do list from 2009.

I'm ON FIRE.

(Item 9 on the list regarding the de-stash of vintage fabrics may have taken just a tiny step backward this past weekend...)

This current project is also a test for a larger project I have planned for an old bookcase my newlywed parents purchased back in the 1940’s, b.c.*

somewhere deep in the bowels of the Garage Where Cars Can't Park

Yes, it’s currently painted post-it note lavender and no, I don’t want to talk about it. :-)

This rough-around-the-edges-with-stylish-metallic-gold-spray-painted-background-shadow-box came from a local thrift shop.

Primer + paint + mod podge + vintage wallpaper. And a little sanding to bring out the details.

A bit more painting and then it's put back together.

So far, so good.

Add a few vintage doodads and we’re done!

Earlier this year when I took my vintage roadtrip, I purchased a roll of that vintage wallpaper with the idea that I would line the inside of the bookcase with it. Once the bookcase is no longer lavender, that is.

Good thing I like to paint things.

*before children

Fresh from Farm Chicks

2011-06-07T16:26:00.000-07:00

Farm Chicks was absolute vintage madness, I tell you.

So much to see! Every seller (ok, there was one exception*) created such inspirational displays and to me the entire show felt like it had a great balance of vintage, shabby, rusty, chippy, retro, mid century, architectural, repurposed, garden, home, collections, ephemera and industrial (although I wouldn't have minded a little more vintage Christmas).

(I know. It's only June.)

I hit the jackpot!

Along with all the great vintage treasures were The Crowds of Vintage-Loving People. I think every other photo I took had someone’s rear end in it.

It was unavoidable. I tried.

Then I just went with it.

my traveling companion, navigator and iphone googler of roadtrip trivia

*the exception ... I don't mind a little digging!

And what did I buy?

Just a few things from Mt. Vintage Linens.

And a bit of vintage bling from Lisa’s booth.

Research & development

In addition to the show, there was breakfast at Chaps with Laurie/Ethel and her mom. Chaps is decorated like something out of a vintage dream!

Already thinking about next year!

Alex, I’ll take “Things that cost less than a gallon of gas but are bigger than a breadbox” for $3, please.

2011-06-01T23:01:00.000-07:00

I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the vintage industrial look holds out long enough for me to sell these in July at A Vintage Gathering.

If not, that’s $3 I’ll never see again.

This rolling shelf filled the entire back of my car and part of the passenger seat in front. I had to drive home with my head pressed against the driver’s side window.

I was told the rolling shelves were used to wheel flats of tomato plants out to the garden. I assume the chair was used for sitting.

I’m considering conducting a Craigslist experiment just to see if I can sell this and how far someone will travel for it since I live an hour’s drive from Portland, OR, home of the nearest Craigslist city.

Meanwhile, it resides in the GWCSCP.

I have a big weekend ahead hanging out with other vintage people as I’m making my inaugural trek/roadtrip to the Pacific NW Vintage Promised Land known as Farm Chicks.

Of course, this is strictly a fact finding mission although there may be some random frivolity mixed in. And a little treasure hunting.

I even had some cards made in case I forget my name or email address.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Behind the scenes at a rummage sale

2011-05-26T11:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I learned exactly what it’s like to be the person who sorts through all the donated items collected at a thrift store when I helped organize a massive rummage sale for a local charity.

I know! Sounds like a thrifter’s dream job, right? I envisioned myself unwrapping box after box of long-forgotten-yet-still-perfectly-intact vintage Christmas ornaments or maybe opening tissue-filled storage bins with carefully preserved and perfectly clean vintage linens...

I was assigned clothing.

Mountains and mountains of clothing.

In plastic bags and boxes and shopping bags and just plain WOW. There was and still is a lot of clothing. I made a dent in it – sorting the sellable from the (insert any gross reason why here) unsellable. Dodging dried bugs and random non-clothing ‘surprises’ tucked inside along with the occasional bag of someone’s garbage (oops) that I hope was accidentally mixed in with the donations since it was all in trash bags.

And there were so many donations of one shoe, one sock or one glove.

these pretty dishes were donated to the sale

I did eventually make it over to the non-clothing side of the building to preview the treasures that might be waiting and there were quite a few.

My friend who is in charge of the rummage sale gifted this to me as a thank you. She knows what I like. :-)

by the sale date of June 3, this warehouse will be packed!

I’ll post the details about shopping at this rummage sale in an upcoming post on my other blog, Vintage Market Guide. If you’re from the Portland, OR area and plan to drive to Farm Chicks, you’ll probably drive right through my town and may want to stop and check out this rummage sale on the first weekend of June.

Great deals happening on single shoes and gloves.

And now we will resume our regularly scheduled programming

2011-05-16T12:04:00.000-07:00

Since I last chatted with you…

My very old computer suddenly decided it was All Done.

Even if I was not.

While waiting and waiting and waiting for its replacement to arrive (“… blah blah important computer-ish part on back order blah blah blah …”), the following is some of what was accomplished:

Re-wired four lamps.

Made that sofa slipcover at last! (from Ikea curtain panels) The ottoman is next in line which will be a breeze compared to the sofa.

Completely rearranged the Doily Factory and its roommate, the Etsy Inventory Storage Facility, the contents of which were co-mingling in a dangerous way with the summer Vintage Market things-to-sell-stash.

Sent many boxes of miscellaneous to the local Senior Center thrift shop. While unsettling to come across my former stuff on their store shelves, so far I have successfully avoided the horror of accidentally re-purchasing something I donated.

Yard-saled with mixed results. A few small victories here and there but no Big Scores lately.

Hosted a birthday celebration. (Did not paint the white sideboard. Yet.)

{ this flag pillow is a mini version of last year's jumbo size flag pillow }

Some sewing.

Computer situation is resolved at last. So glad to be back!

Greetings from The Garage Where Cars Can't Park

2011-04-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

The Pacific Northwest's never-ending rain decided to take a day off this past weekend, long enough for the Garage Where Cars Can't Park to have it's bulkier vintage acquisitions unloaded, organized and then reloaded into what is now unofficially known as The Garage Where Cars Still Can't Park.

I felt a little sorry for all the people driving by who slowed down to check out the loot stacked up in my driveway, hoping for a yard sale.

I would have done exactly the same thing.

There's still no room for a car but we'll return to our regularly scheduled parking some time after Labor Day.

Here's a few glimpses of what I've been bringing home in anticipation of selling at vintage events this summer.

Beautifully weathered Adirondack chair.

A fresh bouquet of wooden tulips.

(sitting on top of Typewriter Table #1)

Rusty, crusty Typewriter Table #2 that the seller wrote the price on in black Sharpie marker. I think we all know how I feel about that.

Chippy bistro chair. There are two of these. Found them this weekend with the Adirondack chair.

This might be the wild card -- a dresser without drawers. I pictured it being used as a potting table or something along those lines. Maybe you have some ideas?

And the Sweeney Todd cabinet. The little wood shelf on top is a minor project even though I told myself "Self, no projects." I've been reading so much about chalk paint on Miss Mustard Seed's blog that I have to give it a try.

Hope your week is going great so far!

The post that starts out odd and just keeps going

2011-04-10T22:09:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those days where I stopped what I was doing just long enough to notice how weird it was.

There was an endless line of little vintage folks waiting to get their picture taken for my etsy shop.

I felt like the school photographer.

Here comes Mrs. Peep's class.

Followed by Mr. Gurley's group for their class portrait.

I can only imagine what the yearbook might look like.

In unrelated and hopefully less odd news, I brought home this little piece of furniture that was tagged a 'barber's cabinet.'

Er - maybe it's from back when barbers performed surgery because there are all kinds of unidentified 'stuff' splashed on the outside of it.

Yeah, I know.

Ew.

Thankfully, it's coming clean without too much effort. I heart rubber gloves.

Just wondering what this drawer might have been used for? I have several terrible ideas but I'm going to call it the 'barber's hair bin' for now so I can sleep at night.

Sweet dreams.

Vintage Summer Vacation

2011-04-03T18:13:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your tips on my post about selling at a vintage market!

I jumped in and signed up for my first vintage market, A Vintage Gathering, in Battle Ground, WA on July 30th.

Of course, I was thinking of you when I chose a vintage market that’s several months from now because I want you to have plenty of time to purchase plane tickets or save up for a tank of gas (only kind of funny, isn’t it?) or do whatever needs to get done so you can come out and shop!

And here’s a little gas-saving bonus – the boys of Barn House are also holding their sale on July 30th and they’re just four miles from A Vintage Gathering! (with lots of yard sales inbetween)

I’ll wait while you write this down on your calendar.

Of course, I immediately went to one of my favorite antique malls for some research and development.

{ click to enlarge }

If you look closely at the photo below, you’ll see me in a moment of deep concentration.

And here’s a little inspiration from A Thing For Roses’s space at Monticello Antique Marketplace.

Thanks Lisa!

Lisa will be a vendor at Barn House on July 30th as well as Farm Chicks the first weekend of June.

Now I’m just crossing my fingers some great vintage stuff will come my way.

P.S. If you’re interested in selling at one of A Vintage Gathering’s events, send me an email and I’ll provide contact info for you. Have a great week!

Sometimes I still sew

2011-03-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

From where I sit at my computer in the doily factory, I look straight into the lonely eye of the vintage fabric cabinet.

And those neglected, folded heaps of vintage fabric remind me that my sewing lately has been, um, not so much.

I’ll blame it on tax time, or as I like to call it, The Oppression of All Creative Urges.

Not to mention this dismal, cold & rainy ‘Spring’ weather in my neck of the woods.

Not inspiring. At all.

But this inspires me!

At last! The first pillow of Spring appears

Fabric flowers will have to do for now until it’s warm enough for the real deal.

And thank you for your helpful comments on my last post about selling at a vintage show – I appreciate it so much! I’ll have an update to share soon.

Show me

2011-03-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

I had a feeling this might happen.

While researching upcoming vintage markets & shows for my other blog, Vintage Market Guide, I come across information about so many amazing vintage sales & beautiful dealer spaces that now …

I think I want to sell at some vintage shows this year.

I think.

I know I have the inventory. It’s hanging out in The Garage Where Cars Can’t Park.

And with yard sale season starting up, I suspect I’m going to see/bring home even more things and, well, we know how that’s going to go.

Or rather, where it’s going to go.

The Garage Where Cars Can’t Park is one chippy chair away from becoming The Garage Where Amy Was Last Seen Before She Disappeared Under a Pile of Vintage Everything.

So I think I’d like to (some people who have to park outside might even say I need to) sell at a vintage market.

I’d love to know more about your experiences with this (as a buyer or a seller) and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

P.S. If anyone is looking for a hitchhiker or sherpa to take to Farm Chicks for some research & development, you know where to find me. :-)

The right place at the wrong time

2011-03-12T19:27:00.000-08:00

Note to self: Today is Saturday.

Despite the fact I drove 30 miles in order to accidentally show up at an estate sale on the wrong day, the Nicest Woman Ever who was organizing the sale (which, for buyers who pay attention to the world around them, not to mention the fine print in the classified ads, was to start the following day)

invited me in to shop.

I know!

Proof that the early bird does indeed get the vintage bird books.

She was selling her parents' belongings and we got to chatting about how difficult that process can be and before I knew it, I had accumulated a small mountain of things to buy.

The mountain of things all had 25 cent price tags with two exceptions: The 6’ vintage aluminum Christmas tree and the cardboard box filled with an entire farmer’s market of vintage chalkware fruit & vegetables.

The Christmas tree and box of fruit were $3 each.

There’s more I haven’t brought in from the car yet – some vintage suitcases, canning jars, polka dot Pyrex … I'd like to interpret this turn of events as a sign from the universe about the thrifting potential in 2011.

Thank you, Nicest Woman Ever. Hope your estate sale went really well!

Junkin' road trip pros and cons

2011-03-07T09:49:00.000-08:00

Sadly, this is not a photo of the World's Best Salvation Army store.

This sign was hanging in the Coburg Antique Mall in Coburg, OR

+ On the plus side +

+ Shopped the Sacramento Antique Faire and really liked it. Not too big, not too small. Great mix of antiques, vintage, mid century, shabby, mantiques and junk.

+ Met a dealer whose shop is also called Vintage Home.
(I know!)

My favorite kind of junkin' jumble. Saw this at Antique Cottage & Garden in Shasta Lake, CA

+ Stopped at some antique shops along the highway that I’ve always wondered about.

+ The weather, at times.

---------------------------------------------

- On the minus side -

— Didn’t go to the Candlestick Park Antiques Faire.
(last minute change of plans)

— Didn’t buy nearly as much as I would have thought.

— Should have taken a lot more photos*. A lot.

— The weather, at times.

— *New camera. We took a time-out around Day 4.
We made up on Day 6.

I had a lot of fun browsing even though I didn’t bring home as many things (to resell later) as I had hoped I might – plenty of little things but no *major* score/s.

I was fully prepared (hoping!) to drive home Beverly-Hillbillies-style with rusty, chippy stuff strapped to the roof of my car or better yet, pulling a packed U-haul, but it didn’t work out that way.

However, being the optimist that I am, I would do it all again and hope I can. Next time…

Back in the Doily Factory

2011-02-24T17:06:00.000-08:00

Home at last.

The past two weeks on the road flew by for me. In addition to thrifting, antiquing & junking, I spent a lot of time visiting much-missed family, friends and their adorable offspring. I stayed in two hotels and five different homes. I slept in a guest room, an office and a cabana.

Ashland Springs Hotel in Ashland, OR

I ate a lot of ice cream. (Vacation = Validation)

The weather went from sunny and warm to rainy and cold. I wish I had a vintage tablecloth for every Californian who learned I was from Oregon and then asked me if I brought the weather with me.

Would you like some tires with your dirt bike?

I shopped in over thirty antique and thrift stores. I went to one terrific estate sale, one disappointing barn sale and one ‘indoor yard sale.’ Actually, I never made it inside the indoor yard sale – my internal personal safety barometer started sounding the alarm and I decided to skip it.

And along the way I met many others who are also into vintage.

{ click to enlarge }

I managed to return with a modest amount of treasures mixed with an abundance of experiences.

It’s good to be home.

The Road Trip Has Begun.

2011-02-10T18:11:00.000-08:00

Here today.

Here tomorrow.

With lots of thrifting, antiquing and vintage shopping along the way. At least that’s the plan. I hope I find something!

Here’s my shopping list:

1. Vintage fabric (shocking)

2. Vintage Christmas (alert the media)

3. Things to sell in my etsy shop (vague)

4. Things to set aside in case I ever decide to sell at a show (vague and dangerous)

Here’s what I hope I don’t bring home:

1. Any items with the potential to be labeled ‘What-was-I-thinking?’ (currently have more than enough of those)

Seems simple enough.

Happy trails from your roving reporter. Next update: The Sacramento Antique Faire.

An open letter to the folks in charge of the price gun, black grease pencil and other pricing devices at the thrift store

2011-02-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

Dear Pricing Person,

Thank you for stocking your shelves with such interesting vintage items especially since I know you put them out there just for me. As you know, I am always a little too excited when I come across them and I appreciate that you allow me to have my moment, right there in the store aisle.

And as long as it’s all about me, I’d like to ask a small favor.

Would you please consider locating the price stickers somewhere other than on the hand-painted parts?

Or the fronts?

Or directly over the manufacturer’s mark on the china?

Or maybe not written in black grease pencil which never, ever comes off completely?

Ever.

In return, I promise you if the price tag is not front and center, I will be more than happy to look for it.

Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.

Yours truly,

This faithful shopper